UW Planetarium to Return Laser Shows, Highlight Space Milestones During September

With the beginning of the fall semester, the University of Wyoming Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium will herald the return of various laser light shows as well as spotlight programming that celebrates celestial and space milestone events.

 

“After a fabulous string of six sold-out showings for Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Lost Weekend’ this August, we are excited to welcome back students to campus and continue delivering exciting programs,” says Max Gilbraith, the planetarium’s director. “After some testing and retrofitting, we have gotten our laser system working again and will be going through our catalog of classic laser shows this September. Enjoy dazzling laser art against the canvas of the cosmos with awesome artists like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Daft Punk, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.”

 

Laser shows are done with a high output laser projector drawing pre-programmed art and visuals.

 

“We do a tasteful and exciting spaceflight/star visualization in the background, but the custom laser art is the main star of the show,” Gilbraith says.

 

Throughout September, the planetarium also will commemorate a number of important celestial and space events and anniversaries, including the launch of Voyager; the final plunge of Cassini into Saturn; the fall equinox; and the discovery of Neptune during live presentations.

 

To get tickets or receive more information about programs, email planetarium@uwyo.edu or leave a voicemail and a callback phone number at (307) 766-6506. Tickets are $5 for the public or online tickets, and $3 for students, senior citizens, veterans, first responders and those under 18. Seating is free for children under 5. Bulk tickets/gift cards are available at $2 each when 10 or more tickets are purchased.

 

Reservations or pre-purchase is not required, and walk-ins are welcome. Tickets can be purchased online with a credit card, reserved by email or voicemail, or purchased at the start of the show. Cash or check is accepted at the door. The planetarium, which seats 64, is in the basement of the Physical Sciences Building. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis outside of designated ADA/wheelchair seating.

 

To pay for tickets with a credit card, go to www.uwyo.edu/uwplanetarium/ticket.aspx. For a group larger than six, email the planetarium for a private show at https://uwyo.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKuqIynOn7gFK2F. Tickets for private shows are the same as the public programs.

 

A film and special live talk for audiences will be featured each week. All programs are approximately an hour in length. As time allows, a portion of the show also may focus on a live sky tour or supporting information related to the film’s topic.

 

The September schedule is:

 

-- Thursday, Sept. 3, 8-10:30 p.m. “Observing Night at North Crow Reservoir.” The UW Planetarium and Curt Gowdy State Park host a night-sky star party overlooking North Crow Reservoir, located 24 miles east of Laramie. The event will include using lasers to draw the summer constellations; telescopes for observing; and astro-photography to reveal deep-sky objects. Attendees each are asked to bring a flashlight/headlamp with a red light setting, if possible; bug spray; appropriate clothing layers for an evening program; and a camping chair. The event is free, and no reservations are needed.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 4, 7 p.m.: “Voyagers.” Voyager 1 launched Sept 5, 1977. Follow the Voyager probes from the first mission to the present as it brought us our first views of the outer solar system and sent an epitaph of humanity to the stars.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 4, 8:30 p.m.: “Laser Show: Best of Pink Floyd.” Enjoy a laser show featuring music from the classic progressive and psychedelic rock band combined with custom laser art in 5.1 surround sound.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 5, 2 p.m.: “We Are Stars,” a full-dome movie and a star talk. The film connects life on Earth to the evolution of the universe by following the formation of hydrogen atoms to the synthesis of carbon and the molecules for life. This film is narrated by Andy Serkis.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.: “Dark Biosphere,” a full-dome movie and a star talk. Deep beneath the Earth’s crust, hundreds of meters or kilometers below the surface -- with no light, no air and very little water, in pores and fissures of hard rock -- scientists have found an enormous biodiversity of micro-organisms that thrive in extreme conditions in an area known as the dark biosphere. This film is narrated by actor Viggo Mortensen.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m.: “Laser Show: Zeppelin Unbound.” Enjoy a laser show featuring music from the 1970s classic rock band combined with custom laser art in 5.1 surround sound.

 

-- Tuesday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m. “Wyoming Skies: New Moon and Autumn Approaching.” A new moon will allow for dark skies viewing the coming week and, as the seasons begin to change, star gazers can see fall constellations and deep sky objects earlier in the evening.

 

After the planetarium show finishes at 8 p.m., informal telescope observing on the rooftop of the Physical Sciences Building at the STAR Observatory will be available, weather permitting.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m.: “Yellowstone to Enceladus.” This program explores and compares the volcanic power of the geysers under Yellowstone National Park to ice plumes beneath the surface of a moon of Saturn.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 11, 8:30 p.m.: “Liquid Sky: ABBA,” a music-based light show. Enjoy a custom playlist of “out-of-this-world” music from the Swedish pop band in 5.1 surround sound. The 4K-resolution planetarium sky will become a canvas of color, patterns and movement with cutting-edge music visualization software and live VJ talent.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 12: The planetarium will be closed due the Wyoming Cowboys’ home football opener against Northern Colorado.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.: “Extreme Explorers Cassini and Saturn Anniversary.” Humans can’t survive most environments on Earth without purpose-built clothing, shelter and advanced food and water infrastructure. So, what about space? Probes, landers, rovers and other craft require incredible engineering to survive the extreme radiation, heat, cold, weather, chemistry and climates of deep space. Learn what it takes for robots and, maybe, people to endure in these places. This program will have a special focus on the robotic Cassini spacecraft, which plummeted into Saturn Sept. 15, 2017.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 18, 8:30 p.m.: “Laser Show: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Enjoy a laser show featuring music from The Beatles’ classic 1967 album combined with custom laser art in 5.1 surround sound.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 19, 2 p.m.: “The Great Solar System Adventure,” a full-dome movie and a star talk. Join showman extraordinaire “The Great Schiaparelli” as he takes the audience on a death-defying, space-time adventure within his wondrous observatorium. From the sun-scorched surface of Mercury to the icy expanses of Pluto and beyond, the audience will be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our solar system.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.: “Dark Matter Mystery,” a full-dome movie and a star talk. Dark matter is a theoretical form of invisible mass, which is believed to be present in galaxies, but it has never been seen or detected. This film takes the audience on the biggest quest of contemporary astrophysics: solving the dark matter mystery.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 19, 8:30 p.m.: “Laser Show: Daft Punk.” Enjoy a laser show featuring music from the electronic music band combined with custom laser art in 5.1 surround sound.

 

-- Tuesday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m.: “Wyoming Skies: Autumnal Equinox with Dark Skies in Laramie.” The autumn equinox occurs Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6:05 p.m. Join this event to celebrate the first official hours of fall.

 

After the planetarium show finishes at 8 p.m., informal telescope observing on the rooftop of the Physical Sciences Building at the STAR Observatory will be available, weather permitting.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m.: “Meet the Planets.” This program provides a tour of the sun’s planets and moons. Learn the discoveries, exploration and feats of technology that have probed the solar system.

 

-- Friday, Sept. 25, 8:30 p.m.: “Laser Show: Jimi Hendrix Experience Electric Ladyland.” Enjoy a laser show featuring music from the 1960s rock music icon combined with custom laser art in 5.1 surround sound.

 

-- Saturday, Sept. 26: The planetarium will be closed due to the Wyoming Cowboys’ home football game against Hawaii.

 

For more detailed descriptions of all programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/physics/planetarium/schedule.html.